The Best Digital Dj Tips?

**fullenglishpint** · 02-06-2012, 11:19 AM

I think this is relevant:

Originally Posted by Phil Morse

Good DJs don’t let their equipment tie them down. If you’re the kind of person who’s always trying to perform crossfader cuts on the car stereo, who notices when tracks are perfectly beatmatched by complete fluke when you walk from one room with the radio on to another with a different station on, who tries to drop tracks on their iPhone to be in sync with music on the the TV just for lazy entertainment, who will happily DJ at a party from an iPod because you want the right records to be playing – well, if you’re this type of person, you’re going to be fine.

**umpgotti** · 02-06-2012, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by DJKeyWee

Build & tag your music collection properly.

so what would you say is the proper way to do this

**soundinmotiondj** · 02-07-2012, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by KS2

Originally Posted by DJKeyWee

Build & tag your music collection properly.

Can you expand a bit on this please?

Originally Posted by umpgotti

Originally Posted by DJKeyWee

Build & tag your music collection properly.

so what would you say is the proper way to do this

Since there seems to be some interest, I'll take a pass at this topic. Here is my basic method for adding a new track.

1) When adding any new track to your collection, add as much information to the tags as you have. My minimal set of tags I always populate are: Artist, Title, Album, Year, and Genre. More information is better.

2) Immediately add as much derived information to the tags as you can get: If you mix by key, then add the key at this point. I will typically add something to Comment, and Rating.

If I intend to play this track at a gig...I'll take these additional steps. (If not, then I will typically just tap out the BPM and enter that into the tag and call it good.)

3) Import & analyze the track with Traktor. At a minimum add a load marker, and grid marker. Double check the BPM. If there are "obvious" mix in/out points, add loop markers over those points.

At this point, the track is ready for use at a gig.

**umpgotti** · 02-07-2012, 11:49 AM

ok so how do u guys organize the tracks do u make your whole music library available in traktor cus that is what i have done so far as i am still learning the ropes and playin with everything...

**soundinmotiondj** · 02-07-2012, 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by umpgotti

ok so how do u guys organize the tracks do u make your whole music library available in traktor cus that is what i have done so far as i am still learning the ropes and playin with everything...

I do not import and analyze my whole collection. I did import and analyze the "core" of my collection, and specific playlists that I am working with at any given time. My traktor collection is about 2500 songs. That covers 90+% of what I would play at a gig. For any given 3 hours set, I may pull in 3 to 5 songs from my larger collection....and I don't always play those...I just prep them "in case."

I have the remainder of my music on the laptop, and I have the music folders mapped in Traktor. So, if I was inspired to pull a track and play it...I do have the ability to analyze on the fly.

**C.Lukas1** · 02-07-2012, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by soundinmotiondj

I do not import and analyze my whole collection. I did import and analyze the "core" of my collection, and specific playlists that I am working with at any given time. My traktor collection is about 2500 songs. That covers 90+% of what I would play at a gig. For any given 3 hours set, I may pull in 3 to 5 songs from my larger collection....and I don't always play those...I just prep them "in case."

I have the remainder of my music on the laptop, and I have the music folders mapped in Traktor. So, if I was inspired to pull a track and play it...I do have the ability to analyze on the fly.

Sorry to kinda derail the thread.

But can you please elaborate further regarding having the music folders "mapped" in Traktor. I'm not quite sure what you mean by that.

I currently have way too much music in my Traktor library, but I'm getting a new laptop soon so I would like to clean everything up for the move.

Thanks in advance!

**umpgotti** · 02-07-2012, 12:25 PM

yeah i have way to many tracks in my traktor but i do plan on slimming it down like i said i am still playing around...but i am also interested in how to map folders to traktor...are there any good tutorials that explain all the ins n outs of building the music selection in traktor...